Controlling mechanism for machines acting on sheets or signatures.



H. P. KENDALL. UONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR MACHINES ACTING 0N SHEETS 0RSIGNATURES. APPLICATION FILED JAN.22,1906.

9 1 2,965 Patented Feb. 16 1909.

B EHBETS-SHBET I 5i 5 w-M Q'YMZ M; 2

H. P. KENDALL. GONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR MACHINES AGTING 0N SHEETS ORSIGNATURES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.22, 1906.

Patented Feb. 16, 1909.

3 SHEETS-BEBE! 2.

zlllllllrlll"rllrllillrplrpg H. P. KENDALL.

CONTROLLING MEOHANISM FOR MACHINES ACTING 0N SHEETS 0B SIGNATURES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22, 1908.

Patented Feb. 16, 1909.

- 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED sTATr sPAfrENT OFFICE.

HENRY P. KENDALL, OF WALI'ULE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HERBERT M.PLIMP- lON, OI NOR'WOOD, MASSACHUSETTS.

CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR MACHINES ACTING ON SHEETS OR SIGNATURES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 16, 1909.

Application flied January 22, 1906. Serial No. 297,149.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it kri o'wn'that I, HENRY P. KENDALL. citizen of the United States,and resident of Walpole, county of Norfolk, Massachusetts,

have invented certain new and useful Imrovements in ControllingMechanism for iachines Acting on Sheets or Signatures, of

which the-following is a specification.

The invention relates to mechanism for controlling the operation ofmachines for acting on sheets or signatures and its object is to providea simple and cflicient mechanism for automatically throwing the machineout of operation upon the failure to properly feed or present sheets orsignatures of a predetermined thickness.

In practicing my invention I control the mechanism for throwing themachine out of operation through the movement of a calipering memberwhich is so arranged that it presses against the surface of thesignatures or sheets as the travel past it, the position or movement 0the calipering member thus depending upon the thickness of thesignatures or sheets which travel past it.

devices intermediate the calipering member and the mechanism forthrowing the machine out of o eration are so constructed and arrangedtiat this mechanism is inactive so loin as sheets or signatures of theproper pre etermined thickness are fed past the calipering member at theproper intervals. If however, the thickness of the sheets or signaturescarried past the ealipering member is greater than the normal, the abnormal movement of the calipering member incident to its engaging theincreased thickness of sheets or signatures, renders the mechanism forthrowing the machine out of operation active so that the machine iseither stopped or put into such condition that no injury or imperfectproduct results from the failure to feed sheets or signatures of theproper thickness. Likewise in case the signatures or sheets are of lessthan normal thickness or in case no sheet or signature is fed past thecalipering member at the proper time, the abnormal movement of thecaliperqing member incident to the decrease in the 50 properpredetermined thickness of sheets or signatures which should bepresented to the calipering member renders the mechanism an throwing themachine out of operation active to stop the machine or 55 or imperfectproduct.

The

prevent injury The controlling mechanism embodying the various featuresof my invention may be embodied in various machines where it isdesirable to stop the machine or modify its action upon failure to proerly feed or present material or pieces of a predetermined thickness.Controlling mechanisms-of this character may be embodied with especialadvantage inmachines for gathering in proper succession the severalsignatures composing a book or magazine and the specific form ofmechanism in which I have embodied the various features of my inventionis especially designed and adapted for such machines. This mechanism isshown in the accompanying drawings embodied in a si ature-gatheringmachine having substantially the construclion of the machine shown inthe patent to b. H. Pray No. 767,081 August 9, 1904.

In these drawings Figure 1 is a side elev ation of so much of thesignature gathering machine as is necessary for an understanding of thefeatures of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 22Fi 1 looking toward the left; F i s. 3, 4 and 5 are details of theindicating device. Fig. 6 is a detai l of the arrying grip ers andsupporting se ment which trave s therewith. Fig. 7 is a detail sectionalelevation showing the signature separating and carrying devices and thecahpermg device and parts of the controlling mechanism. Fig. 8 is a planview of parts shown in Fig. 7; and Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectionalelevation of arts of the mechanism for throwing the mac ine out ofoperation.

In the signature-gathering machine indicated in the drawings thesignatures are contained within a series of magazines arranged insuccession lengthwise of the machine and individual signatures areseparated from the stacks of signatures in the magazines and deliveredupon a support dong which they are carried by the carrying chains in themanner fully described in the patent to Pray above referred to.

The dc\ ices for separating individual signatures from the stacks ofsignatures in the magazines comprise a series of pneumatic pickers Acarried upon a bar A and) a series of separator plates A carried upon abar A. (Fig. 7.) The carrying bars A for the pneumatic pickers andseparator plates are mounted to reciprocate longitudinally in bearingarms A which are formed on a cam drum A" in'the manner ferred to.

described in the patent referred to.

In separating a signature from the stack of signatures in a magazine,the pneumatic icker A moves toward the left in Fig. 1

'llltO position beneath the corner of the lower signature in themagazine, then rises into engagement with the signature, then isderessed to bend the corner of the signature down away from thesignatures in the magazine, the separator plate A moving forward betweenthe lower si nature and the stack. The picker is then re eased from thesignature and moves toward the right to one side of the signatures, theplate A rising to support the stack while the lower signature iswithdrawn. These movements are im arted to the picker and separatingplate y the rocking of the su porting arms A and the reciprocation oftie carrying bars A A as is more full described in the patent re- Thelower signature is withdrawn from beneath the stack of signatures bymeans of carrying grippers C C pivoted at diiferent oints upon a head Cwhich is secured to t e main cam shaft D of the machine. Theupper griper 0 is provided with a roll C which trave s in a cam groove in astationary cam plate 0 the cam groove being shaped to 0 en and close thegrippers at proper interva s. The lower gripper (3 is forced toward theleft in Fig. 7 by a spring (not shown) and when the grippers are openthis gripper rests against a stop C As the lower grip er comes intoposition beneath the front edge of the si nature which has been separatby the pic er and separatin plate t toward t e right in ig. 7 ringingthe gripper jaw C above the front edge of the signature and then duringcontinued movement of the grip r C the lgrip ers move in' unison toward1; e right, t us ringing the grip ing jaws together uponthe front ed 0of t e si ature. When the edge of the si ature as been thus gripped therotation o the gripper carryin head C carries the ppers. toward the lein Fi 7 thus withrawing the lower signature rom the stack. As thesignature is carried forward by the grippers it is sugported b portingplate secure to file head 2 and extending back from the gri pers. Thesignature is carried forward by t e grippers and isdeposited upon thesupport B in front I SO arrange e up er gripper is swung. .end 0 a semental su of pins B which project from the carrying chains B. As thechains B move longitudinally of the machine a signature from eachmagazine is deposited in succession in froht of the pins B and thus aseries of signatures comprising a signature from each of the magazinesis collected in front of each set of pins upon the carrier chain as thechain travels through the machine.

As thus far described the machine corrpsponds in construction and modeof operation to the machine shown and described in the lra patent abovereferred to.

In t 1e machine being described the mechanism for throwing the machineout of operation is so constructed that when it is rendered activethemachine is stopped and remains at rest until again started by theoperator. The mechanism for thus t rowin the machine out of o erationcomprises a belt shifter E arrange to shift the belt from the drivingulley D to the loose ulley D and thus s o the machine. The elt shifteris connecte by means of a link E with a shipping bar E which is forcedin a direction to shift the belt on to the loose pulley by the action ofa spring E". During the operation of the machine the shipping bar E jsheld in position to maintain the belt upon the driving pulley by meansof a locking lever E ,which is arranged to en gage-a .lug E on theshipping bar and hold the baragainst the tension of the spring E.Wh'eiar the locking lever E is moved to disengage it from the lug E thespring E immediately operates the belt shifter to shift the belt ontothe loose pulley and thus stop the machine.

The mechanism for automatically operatin the locking lever E comprises abell- ,cran lever E loosely mounted upon a stud E and connected with thelockin lever by a link E The short arm of the bell-crank lever E is(provided with a recessor tooth E that it may be engaged by areciprocating operating pawl E. The operatmg tpawl E is plvoted upon theupper a pawl carrying lever E which is loosely mounted upon the stud E.The pawl carrying lever E is rovided at its lower end with a roll Ewhich fits within a cam groove in the cam E which is so shaped that thepawl carrying arm is reciprocated once during each rotation of the camshaft 1) during the operation of the machine. During the normaloperation of the machine the pawl E is prevented from engaging the toothE as the pawl reciprocates by means of a guard E which underlies thepluwl and reciprocates therewith. The guard is formed on a guard arm Ewhich is loosel mounted 11 Jon the stud E. The

which is enga edby a roller E mounted upon a pin 18 which projectslaterally from a rock arm E". The pin E and roll Efi are extended beyondthe guard arm E and the roll is engaged by a bearing surface E formedon-the rear side of the pawl carrying arm E". The rock arm E is securedto-a rock shaft E and is forced yieldingly toward the right, in Fig. 1),or in a direction to keep the roll E" against the pawl carrying arm bymeans of a spring H which is connected to a fixed part of the frame andto an arm E projecting from the rock shaft 12'. \Vith this constructionthe guard arm E will be moved toward the left by action of the pawlcarrying lever and will be moved yieldiugly toward the ,right by theaction of the spring E acting through the connections between the springand the guard arm. So long as the rock slut ft E is free to rocktherefore the guard arm and guard carried thereby will rcciprorate withthe pawl carrying lever and the pawl will be prevented from engaging thetooth E". If the movement of the rock shaft F1 under the influence ofthe spring E is r rrcsted however, the guard arm and guard will notadvance with the pawl carrying lcver and in such case therefore the pawlll" will ride mi of the guard E and will engage the tooth F, on thebell-crank lever Id and will U)Pl';!ll this bellmrunk lever to withdrawthe locking lcvcr E from engagement with the lug on the shipper bar andthus cou c the stopping of the machine.

The mechanism shown for arresting thc movcmcnt of the rock shaft E andthus rendering t'hc mechanism for throwing the machine out of operationactive comprises :1 moving member in the form of an arm (1:

H-clil'ctl to the rock shaft E and a controller I ll which is normallyout of the path of the moving mcmbcr (l and which is so connected witha. cnlipering device that it is moved into the path of thc moving memberG to arre t its movement upon a movement of the calipcring dcviccgreater or less than nor null. in th construction shown the controllcl'H is in the form of an abutment lu projecting laterally from :1 lcver HWllicl is pivotcd :1! H and is forced yicldingly upward by :I lightspring H secured to a lixcd port of the frame and to the outer end ofthe lcvcr. 'lhc abutment H is held normolly in po ition to register witha rece s (l fornu-d in :1 plate which projects laterally l'rom thc :nm Gso that the arm G passes idly by thc abutment us the rock shaft. Eowillcu- 'hcnever the abutment H is movcd in c thcr direction it iscarried out of rcgistcr with the recess (l' and is brought into thc pathof the phttc on the arm (l. thus preventing thc rocking of the shaft IQand rcmlcring lbc mechanism for throwing the nm hinc out of operationactive. position of thc controlling nbntnu-nt ll i determined by thcmovcnn-nt of n culipering device in the form of a roll F with which thecontroller abutment is connected The calipering roll F is so arrangedthat it may bear upon the signatures as they are carried past-it bycarrying grippers C (J' and supporting segment C. The calipering roll Fis mounted 1n the short arm of a lever F which is loosely mounted upon ashaft F and the calipering roll is forced yieldingly toward the path oftravel of the signature by means of a spring F secured to the outer endof the long-arm of the lever F." During the time or :1 portion of thetime that the supporting segment C is passing the calipering roll 1 theroll is free to move toward thc support under the influence of thespring F and during this time the roll ispresscd against the signaturecarried upon the sup port. the position of the roll being governed bythe thickness of the signature traveling past. it. Duringthe remainderof the o )cration of the machine the roll carrying lever l? is supportedagainst the tension of the .-pring F by means of a cam F arranged toengage a roll F mounted upon the lever F. The cam F is provided with alow part F which registers with the roll F during the time that thecalipering roll F is in engagement with the signature upon the support('2 'lhccontroller abutment H is so connected with the calipering rollthat the abutment wiilbe held in register with the rece s (l' on the armG in case the signature against which the cnlipering roll is pressed isof a certain thickness. If the thickness of the signature is less orgreater than this predetermined thickness the controller abutment willbe moved by reason of its connection with the caliperiug roll in onedirection or thc other to bring it into the path of the arm and thusrender the mechanism for throwing the machine out of operation active.In the construction shown in lever H which carries the controllingabutment H is connected with the calipering roll by means of a screw Iwhich passes through a lateral projection F" of the roll carrying leverF and cngngcs the controller lever H near its pivot. By anjusting thescrew F the connections between the calipcriug roll and controller maybe ud justcd so that the controllcr lug will be in register with therecess on the arm (i when any prcdetcrmincd thickness of signatm-c ispas ing the caliper roll F.

\Vhilc I prefer the form of connect ions bctween the, culipcring rolland controller shown. for the reason that with this construction thelnovcnlcnt ol' the controller is cotnparutivclv large as contpurcd withthe movement of thc culipcring device and the mechanism will ()|)ll':litcllicicntly in throwing the machine out oi'opcrntion upon slight\;ll'l.llltll] in the lllitl;!|t H ol' lfic signatures. yet other fornnof connections may be cuiploycd. For instance with thc nmc form of ill)controller and mechanism for throwing the machine out of operation shownthe controlling lug might be mounted directly upon the lever whichcarries the caliper roll instead of upon a separate lever.

During the time that the calioering roll F is sni irled by the cam F t econtroller lcvcr ll may he supported by a cam groove ll formed in theface of the cam disk F and engaged by a roll H on the end of the leverll, the cam groove being provided with an enlargement ll which registerswith the roll H during the time that the caliperiug roll is inengagement with the signature.

The mechanism for throwin the machine out of operation should herendered active in a signature gathering machine upon the failure todeliver a signature of proper thickness from any one of the signaturemagazines and the machine is accordingly provided with calipcring andcontrolling devices corresponding to each signature magazine and eachset of separating and carrying devices. in order that the operator mayquickly determine the point at which the failure to deliver a signatureof proper thickness occurred and also to determine whether the machinewas stopped by reason of the delivery of a si natnre thicker than normalor or reason o' the delivery of a signature thinner than normal. l haveprovided devices which indicate the point at which the imporfect actiontook place and which also indi cute whether the stopping of the machineoccurred by reason of the feeding of a si na lure thicker than normal orby reason 0 the feeding oi a s gnature thinner than normal. Theseindicating devices are shown in Figs.

to 5 inclusive. The indicatin devices consist of two plates l I pivotaly supported upon an elevated liar l'- and held in normal position bymeans of latches I l. The latch l which holds the plate I in normalposition is pivoted at l and is provided with a rearwardly extendingpart by the downwardmovement of which the latch may be disongugttl fromthe plate 1 so that the date will fall. The latch I is operated to reease the indicator plate I by means of a rod I the lower end of which isconnected to the controller lever H and the upper end of which isextended laterally over the rear projection of the latch l. The latch Iwhich retains the indicator plate I in posiion is pivoted at I andpasses over a lateral projection of the rod I. When a signature which isthinner than normal is fed past the caliper roll, the controller lever His m ved downward into the path of the arm U. in rendering the stoppingmechanism active and this downward movement of the con trollcr lever Hoperates the latch l? to release the plate I. ()n the other hand when asignature thicker than the none 2 i fed past the caliper roll F, lhecontroller lei or H is moved upward in bringing it into the path of thearm (l to render the stopping mechanism active and this upward movementof the controller lever H. operates the latch I to release the indicatorplate I, The plates 1 I only be colored, shaped or marked so that theoperator can :eadily determine whether the stopping mechanism was tendercd active by reason of a thick or by reason of a thin signature.There is a pair of indicator plates for each calipering and con trollingdevice and therefore the falling of a plate indicates the point at whichthe dctcclive operation occurred as well as indicatin; the defect.

While I prefer to employ the mechanism for throwing the machine out ofoperation such as has been described in which ihc mechanism is renderedactive by the arrest of a moving part. it will he understood that suchform of mechanism is not essential to all the features of my invention.It will also he understood that the eonstructimi and a1" rungement ofthe controller and the connections between the controller and ihecalipering device may he changed and modified without departing from thebroader features of my invention. It will also be understood that it isnot essential in case an abut ment and registering recess are employedin the connections between the cali nwiug dc vice and the. mechanism forthrowing the machine out of operation. that these parts he arranged inthe relation shoi'n, since this relation might he reversed for imiannre.It will also he understood that in constructions where a controller andmoving part are employed it is not essential that the controllcr shouldarrest the movement of the moving part sinee the moving, purl inighi actthrinigh the controller to impart movement to the mechanism for throwingthe machine out of operation. Various changes and modifications in theconstruction and far-- rungenient of the connections interinediuli' theculipcring device and the throw-out mechanism may he made withoutdeparting from m'yinvcntion.

Without attempting to point out all the various forms in which thefeatures of invention may he omluiidied, what I claim and desire tosecure hv Letters Patent is: s

1. Mechanism for controlling machines acting upon sheets or signatureshaving in combination, devices for iulvuncing shccls or signatures, ayielding calipcring member past which the sheets travel. the extent ofmovement of which depends upon the thickness of tho .iheets orsignatures, a moving part, a controller normally out of the path of themoving part, connections between the controller and calipering memberfor mov ing the controller into the path of the moving part upon anmvcnienl, of the caliper-111g memhcr greater unrl upona movement oi thecali ering member less than normal, and meclianism for throwing themachine out of operation rendered active by the engagement of thecontroller and moving part.

2. Mechanism for controlling machines operating upon sheets orsignatures having in combination, a support, a yielding cahpering membercooperating therewith, acontroller connected with the cahpering device,a moving part the movement of whichis arrested by the controller upon avariation above and upon a variation below the normal in the thicknessof sheets or signatures between the support and calipering member, andmechanism for throwing the machine out of operation rendered active bythe arrest of said part.

3. Mechanism for controlling machines operating upon sheets orsignatures having in combination a controller, a support, a yieldingcalipering member connected with the ccntroller, a moving part themovement of which is arrested by the controller upon a variation aboveand upon a variation below the normal in the thickness of sheets-orsignatures between the support and calipering member, and mechanism forthrowing the machine out of operation rendered active by the arrest ofsaid part.

4. Mechanism for controlling machines operating upon sheets orsignatures having in combination, devices for advancing sheets orsignatures, a yielding calipering member past which the sheets orsignatures travel, a mechanism for throwing the machine out ofoperation, a controller member connected to move with the caliperingmember, a cotipcrating member connected with said throwout mechanism,means for reciprocating one of said members, and means for connectingsaid members to render said throw -out mechanism active upon a movementof the calipering member greater and upon a movement of the caliperingmember less than normal.

5. Mechanism for controlling machines operating upon sheets orsignatures having in combination, devices for advancing sheets orsignatures, a yielding calipering member past. which the sheets orsignatures travel, a controller member, a moving member, an abutment onone member, a normally registering recess on the other tion between thecontroller and calipering member for bringing the abutment and rccessout of register upon a movement of the calipering member greater andupon a movement of the calipering member less than normal, and mechanismfor throwing the machine out of operation rendered active by theengagement of the controller and moving member.

6. Mechanism for controlling machines operating upon sheets orsignatures having member, connecin combination, mechanism for throwingthe machine out of operation, a reciprocating member the arrest of whichrenders sai throw out mechanism active, a recess in said member, acontroller normally registering with said recess, and a caliperingdevice connected with said controller.

7. Mechanism for controlling machines operating upon sheets orsignatures having in combination, mechanism for throwing the machine outof operation, a controller for controlling the operation of saidthrow-out mechanism, a ielding member connected with the contro ler, andan unyielding traveling support for sheets or signatures traveling pastthe'yielding member.

8. A machine for handling sheets or signatures having in combination,carrying grippers, a support traveling therewith, a yielding memberarranged to engage the sheets or signatures on the support, mechanismfor throwing the machine out of operation, and means for controlling thesaid mechanism from the yielding member.

9. A machine for handling sheets or signatures having in combinationcarrying grippers, a support traveling therewith, a yielding caliper-mgmember arranged to en gage the sheets or si natures on the support, acontroller 0 erated by the cali erin member, and mecianism for throwingt e machine out of operation controlled by the controller.

10. A machine for handling sheets or signatures having in combination,carrying grippers, a segmental support traveling therewith, a caliperingmember arranged to engage the sheets or signatures on the sup port,means for supportin r and releasing the calipering member, an mechanismfor throwing the machine out of operation controlled by the culiperingmember.

11. A. machine for handling sheets or signatures having in combination,separating devices, carrying rippers, a calipering member yieldinglyForced against the passing sheets or signatures, a cotiperating support,and mechanism for throwing the machine out of operation rendered activeby a movement of the cali ering device greater and by a movement ot thecalipering device less than normal.

12. A machine for handling sheets or signatures having in combination,carrying grippers, a calipering member yieldingly held against thepassing sheets or signatures, a connected controlling member, a coiicrating member, an abutment on one 0 said latter two members, aregistering recess on the other of said two members, and mechanism forthrowing the machine out of operation rendered active when the abutmentand are out of register.

13. A machine for handling sheets or sigdevices for natures having incombination,

a cal permg advancing sheets or signatures, member, means for yieldinglycalipering member against the assing sheets or signatures, a controllermem er connected with the calipering member, a movable member, anabutment on one of said latter two members, a registering recess on theother of said two members, and a mechanism for throwing the machine outof operation rendered active when the abutment and recess are out of reister.

14. A mac line for handling sheets or signatures having in combinationdevices for advancing sheets or signatures, a calipering member, meansfor yieldingly pressin the calipering device against the passing s icetsor signatures, a controller a justably connecte with the caliperingmember, and mechanism for throwing the machine out of operation renderedactive by the controller upon a movement of the calipermg member reaterand upon a movement of the caliperdermg the throw-out mechanism activeupon mg member less than normal.

15. A machine for handling sheets or signatures having in combination,devices or advancing sheets or signatures, a calipering member pastwhich the sheets or signatures are advanced, a spring operated carryinlever therefor, a controller lever connector with the caliper carr inglever, and mechanism for throwing t e machine out of operation renderedactive by a movement 0 the controller lever greater and by a move mentof the controlling lever less than normal.

16. Mechanism for controlling machines operating upon sheets or sinatures having in combination, mechanism or throwing the machine out ofoperation, a sup ort an a calipering member between whici sheets orsignatures are trolled by the movement of the calipering member forrendering the throw out mech' anism active upon a movement of thecalipering member greater and upon a movepressmg the advanced, anddevices conment of the calipering member less than normal.

1T; Mechanism for controlling machines operating upon sheets orsignaturcshaving in combination, mechanism for throwing the machine outof operation. an unyielding sup port and a yielding calipering member,mcalis for advancing sheets or signatures between the support andcalipering'member, and devices controlled by the movement of thecalipering member for rendering the throw out mechanism active wheneverthe movement of the calipering member is greater and whenever themovement of the calipcring member is less than normal.

18. Mechanism for controlling machines operating upon sheets orsignatures having in combination, mechanism for throwing the machine outof operation, a yielding calipering member, a traveling support forsheets or signatures while they are traveling past the callperingmember, a controller coni nected with the calipering member for renamovement of the calipering member renter and upon a movement of thecaliper mg member less than normal.

19. A machine for handling sheets or signatures having in combination,mechanism for throwing the machine out of operation, carrying grippers,a support traveling therewith, a yielding calipermg member arranged toengage the sheets or signatures on the su port, a controller connectedwith the ca ipering member for rendering the throwout mechanism activeupon a movement of the caliperin member greater and upon a movement 0%the calipering member less than normal.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 18th day ofJanuary 1906.

HENRY P. KENDALL.

In the presence of-* IRA L. F1511, Geo. N, GODDARD.

